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Horan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Horan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Gaelic, otherwise known as Early Modern Irish, was used in Ireland from around the year 1200 until the 18th century. It is from this language that we found the first references to the name Horan as Ó hOdhrain, which is derived from the word odhar, which means dun-colored. 1

Early Origins of the Horan family

The surname Horan was first found in County Galway (Irish: Gaillimh) part of the province of Connacht, located on the west coast of the Island, where they held a family seat from ancient times. This distinguished tribe was descended from Eochy Moyvane who was the 124th monarch of Ireland, and from whom was descended King Niall of the Nine Hostages. King Niall was perhaps Ireland's greatest Commander King who was instrumental in routing the Romans from the British Isles. This group of tribes were known as the Septs of the Hy-Niall, and they were Chiefs of the territories in Ulster, Meath and Connacht.

Early History of the Horan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horan research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Horan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horan Spelling Variations

Just like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the Horan family name include Haren, Horan, Harhan, Haran, O'Horan, O'Hourahan, O'Horahan, O'Haren, O'Harhan, O'Haran, O'Hanran and many more.

Early Notables of the Horan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Horan of County Galway

Horan Ranking

In the United States, the name Horan is the 4,072^nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2

Horan migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Horan:

Horan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Edward Horan who settled in Pennsylvania in 1773

Horan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Simon Horan, who landed in New York, NY in 1810 3
John, Michael and Simon Horan, who settled in New York state between 1803 and 1811
John Horan, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 3
Thomas Horan, who settled in Savannah, Georgia, in 1847
Martin Horan, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Horan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Horan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

David Horan, who settled in St. John's in 1783

Horan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Elenor Horan from County Tipperary was married at St. John's, Newfoundland in 1803 4
Michael Horan, who landed in Canada in 1823
William Horan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1840
Miss. Bridget Horan, aged 7 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "James Moran" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In August 1847 5
Ms. Mary Horan, aged 18 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Aberdeen" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In June 1847 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Horan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Horan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Horan, Canadian covict who was convicted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. James Horan, (b. 1799), aged 21, Irish porter who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Dorothy" on 5th May 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
Dennis Horan Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 8
William Horan Mr. settled in New South Wales, Australia in 1823 8
Mary Horan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Lady Bruce" in 1846 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Horan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Horan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Patrick Horan, British settler arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 10
Mrs. Margaret Horan, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 10
Francis Horan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Telegraph" in 1863
Thomas Horan, aged 25, a tradesman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Horan (post 1700) +

Roy Horan III (1950-2021), American actor and martial artist, best known as Lewis in 1981 martial arts film Game of Death II, and Priest/Russian in 1978 martial arts film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow
Claude Horan (1917-2014), American ceramic and glass artist
Hume Alexander Horan (1934-2004), American diplomat and ambassador
Walter "Walt" Franklin Horan (1898-1966), American politician, Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for ten terms (1943 to 1965)
Stephen Horan Ph.D.,, American Department Head of the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at New Mexico State University
Monica Horan (b. 1963), American actress best known for her role as Amy MacDougall-Barone on the television sitcom "Everybody Loves Raymond"
James Horan (b. 1954), American character actor who has appeared in many television programs and films
William David Horan, American Educator and author, residing in Louisiana
Pádraig Horan (b. 1950), retired Irish hurling manager and former player
James Horan (1911-1986), Irish parish priest of Knock, County Mayo, credited for inviting Pope John Paul II to visit Knock Shrine (1979)
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Horan family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. James Horan (1842-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Mrs. Grace Horan (1877-1917), née Duggan, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Master William Horan (1906-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11
Miss Winnie Horan (1907-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 34)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dorothy
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) LADY BRUCE 1846. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846LadyBruce.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance